Umarekawari Hijinks
by TwinEnigma
Summary: The battle is won, but the Shikon no Tama remains. The wish is made... and there are consequences. Fox magic, the wind's voice and the white figure.
1. Prologue

Umarekawari Hijinks

By TwinEnigma

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_Blanket disclaimer_: Anything you recognize, except for my OCs and the plot, I don't own. I do this for fun and absolutely no profit.

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**Prologue**

Naraku was dead, his heart having been finally destroyed and his spirit dragged to hell. There would be no return for him this time – Kikyou, assisted by the spirit of Midoriko, had seen to that. The Shikon no Tama had been completed during the battle and now rested safely in Kagome's hands once more. Unfortunately, completing the jewel had been a bit nerve wracking as it severely reduced Kouga's strength in battle and flat out killed Kohaku. Miraculously, Sesshoumaru had chosen that time to appear and use the power of Tenseiga on the fallen boy. Sango had been overjoyed, vowing that she would repay the inu youkai for his generous deed, but he dismissed her, saying that he had only resurrected the boy because he was a worthy warrior and they had needed him in the battle.

Inuyasha, following the battle, maintained that his half-brother's actions probably had more to do with the little girl that followed him around than anything else. No matter how much Sesshoumaru may have denied it verbally, his actions towards the child called Rin spoke of compassion. The inu youkai would have done whatever was necessary to see her happy, including resurrecting the young taijiya boy. Of course, not one of their companions – Inuyasha included – was near stupid enough to tell the proud demon that. Sesshoumaru left shortly after, Rin and Jaken faithfully following him on Ah-Un; he said he would return some day to claim Tessaiga, but his words strangely lacked their usual conviction.

Kouga stayed on with them for a while, recovering from the battle. When the shikon no kakera were taken from him, it had left him without his life-saving speed and, unable to dodge quickly enough, he had been badly poisoned. He hated Kaede's medicines, but found the opportunity to drive Inuyasha rabid with jealousy more than made up for the foul herbal concoctions they forced him to take. The ookami youkai stuck around for a little while after he was healed until rumors of a traveling female ookami youkai named Ayame reached his ears; Kouga promptly ran away as though death itself was on his heels, swearing that he'd never love anyone but Kagome.

Inuyasha was thoroughly happy to see him go, having endured more 'sits' during the ookami youkai's stay than ever before. But he was a little disappointed as he realized that Kagome would no longer be giving him extra ramen, as she no longer had a reason to sit him and then feel horribly guilty about it.

Sango and Miroku were constantly at each other's side, content to simply be free of burden and enjoy their budding relationship. Occasionally, that wicked hand of his would wander and Miroku would find himself reintroduced to Hiraikotsu. Sango would forgive him after a short while, though, and all things would be right between them. Kohaku, for all that he loved his dear ane-ue, thought that she and her beloved houshi-sama were taking far too long and would never get married at the rate that they were going.

There was only one thing that truly remained to be dealt with...

The Shikon no Tama.

No one was quite sure what they should do with it. Obviously, as long as it existed, demons would desire it and its corruption. Wishes that were made on it had the potential to be warped by the demons within, no matter how pure or loving their intentions. The general consensus was that it had to be destroyed, but no one had quite figured out how they should go about it. Burning it hadn't worked and Kagome's hamaya had simply shattered it into hundreds of tiny fragments. For now, the Shikon no Tama stayed in Kagome's capable hands and they merely contemplated its fate.

* * *

"Inuyasha-san, I have a question," Kohaku piped up from his position on the forest floor. It had been his turn to patrol with the hanyou and he'd been looking forward to the distraction it provided.

Inuyasha was in the trees above, ears and nose to the wind, hunting for the scent of youkai. "What?" he ground out, roughly.

"Is it true that the Shikon no Tama came from Kagome-sama's body?" the young taijiya asked. "And that she is from the future?"

The hanyou was silent a moment and then huffed, "Yeah. What's it to you, brat?"

"I was thinking," Kohaku said, ignoring the rudeness of the reply; he'd gotten used to expecting a general lack of tact from the hanyou and simply paid no mind to it anymore. "Wouldn't that mean that the Shikon no Tama is from the future, too?"

Inuyasha didn't reply and leapt to another tree with effortless grace. The young taijiya followed swiftly, the handle of his kusarikama ready in his hand. He had learned in the past that silence from the hanyou meant trouble and it was best to be prepared accordingly.

"Keh! What do you know?" Inuyasha called out, as he leapt again. "You're just a brat!"

Kohaku rolled his eyes and inwardly sighed. Obviously, he touched on something that had been bothering the elder boy as well. "It was just a thought!" he shouted back, vaulting over a large boulder and continuing on. "Maybe we can't destroy it here!"

Again, there was silence.

"Inuyasha-san?" the boy asked, looking up to the trees for a glimpse of the familiar fire-rat haori.

The hanyou quietly leapt down and looked off into the distance. "Maybe it was brought to this time to be destroyed, brat. Ever considered that?"

"Well, no..." Kohaku admitted sheepishly, even though he could see that Inuyasha wasn't exactly convinced of his own words.

"Keh! Just like a brat," Inuyasha snorted, once again searching the sky for trouble. "We should be more worried about what happens when we destroy it, not about the time it came from."

The taijiya sighed and rubbed his shoulder absently. "Just as long as it doesn't shatter again..."

"That's not going to happen," the hanyou said and his voice held such conviction that the boy was sure that even if Inuyasha had to hold the jewel together with his bare hands, he'd make certain that not a single shard escaped.

Kohaku nodded absently, scanning the ground for tracks. There was no doubt that youkai still lurked in the forest, coveting the jewel from a safe distance for fear of facing the powerful defenders in the village.

"There is one thing, though," Inuyasha sighed, crossing his arms. "The Shikon no Tama is what allows Kagome to travel back and forth through the well. If we destroy it, she won't be able to return to her family."

The taijiya gave the elder boy a curious look. "Have you told her?"

"Keh!" the hanyou snorted. "She knows. I overheard her talking to your onee-san about it. Silly girl thinks I'm stupid or something."

Surprised, Kohaku smiled, "She just worries about you. Ane-ue says that you do have a tendency to overreact when Kagome-sama is involved."

"Keh! Your onee-san should be the one to talk! When that perverted bouzu's hand wanders... Hiraikotsu!" Inuyasha shouted, bringing his arm around in an imitation of Sango thoroughly pounding Miroku with the giant bone weapon.

The boy laughed, shaking his head as he recalled just how many times he'd seen that scene. "Houshi-sama must have a very thick skull, don't you agree, Inuyasha-san?"

"Hai, hai," the hanyou agreed, smiling sadly. His fingers lightly rested on the rosary around his neck. "All idiots in love have thick skulls."

Kohaku smiled; it was obvious that Inuyasha had also been referring to himself and Kagome-sama. The hanyou had started to walk again, ears perked ahead, and the boy followed, careful to watch for anything unusual in the trees.

"Inuyasha-san, what's the future like?" the boy asked finally, uncomfortable with the long silence.

The older boy snorted. "It stinks. There are all these weird smells and funny magic boxes with moving pictures inside, but there's lots of good food. I suppose that kind of makes up for the funny looking demons and bad smells, but not by much." He paused, looking back, and added, "I don't really like it there."

"Oh," the taijiya said. "I was just thinking that Kagome-sama would be sad without everyone. She really treats us like family, you know."

The hanyou stopped again and sighed heavily. "Listen, brat. The situation stinks no matter how you try to look at it. I don't belong in her time and she doesn't really belong in ours either. If she stays here, she'll be sad without her family and if she goes, she'll still be sad because she won't have any of us. As for me, I don't think I'd be able to survive in her time. Here, at least, I can be myself."

"I think I understand," Kohaku said, his mind slowly drifting back to bad memories. He sighed and shook his head to chase away the dark memories. "If only there was a way we could all be there and you could still be yourself."

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he sharply raised his head.

"Do you hear something, Inuyasha-san?" the boy asked, stepping into a defensive battle stance on reflex.

The hanyou cast a glance at him over his shoulder and grinned broadly. "I smell ramen!"

Kohaku groaned. He really should have expected that.

"Oi! Are you coming or not, brat?" Inuyasha shouted, glaring impatiently at him. "I'm hungry!"

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AN: Ok, this is my first Inuyasha fanfic. Be gentle with me. I typically feel it's redundant to say I don't own anything other than original characters and any sources I've used will show up after the final chapter, along with the joke scenes from design phase. Yes, I just promised you a chapter of Omake. Um, as to the Japanese, I'm trying my best to use the proper terms here and, yes, Tessaiga is the correct spelling. I suggest visiting "Lush: The Inuyasha Shrine, version 5.0" for a full explanation. Actually, I highly recommend that website in general. The kusarikama is the chained sickle that Kohaku uses as a weapon. Most of the other terms I've used I'm fairly sure you've heard of before, but, if not, just let me know. This story will be a bit more manga-based. Um... Review, please? 


	2. One

Umarekawari Hijinks

By TwinEnigma

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**One**

Time passed slowly in the Sengoku Jidai without the threat of Naraku. The days seemed to bleed into one another, forming an endless summer – a blur of laughter and carefree moments in time for the guardians. Youkai shied from the village proper, frightened of the defenders of the Shikon no Tama; they had heard of Naraku's defeat at the hands of these powerful warriors and there were rumors that the both the remaining Yourouzoku tribe and the powerful inu-no-taiyoukai of the West had extended their protection to this village. Still, they lingered in the forest, drawn to the aura of the jewel as moths to a flame.

But today was different and even the youkai knew this.

The jewel was moving today.

Every two weeks, the miko and the jewel would be escorted to the Bone Eater's Well by the powerful hanyou, Inuyasha. The lesser youkai dared not attack him, sensing his formidable youki. They had heard of this boy, the youngest son of the great Inu-no-Taisho, current wielder of the legendary Tessaiga, and of the strength he possessed. Such an adversary was not one to engage directly and thus they waited for an opportune time to strike.

Inuyasha, however, was well aware that these excursions into the forest were being watched, dissected and analyzed by those youkai that coveted the jewel. His hand remained on the hilt of Tessaiga as they walked, Kagome no more than an arm's length from his side at all times. He was constantly alert, every muscle tense as he silently tracked their observers.

_"Hiraikotsu!"_ sounded nearby, along with the wails of surprise from a cluster of youkai caught off guard by the taijiya and her brother. Kirara and Miroku would be flanking the remaining youkai any minute now.

A smirk grew on Inuyasha's lips.

"Looks like your plan is working," Kagome said, smiling to herself.

The hanyou puffed up with pride. "Keh! Of course it did! Those stupid youkai were so busy planning to attack us, they wouldn't have noticed if an entire damn _army_ of taijiya appeared!"

Yes, appeal to Inuyasha's ego and he was a happy man. Kagome watched him out of the corner of her eye as he continued on about his own cleverness and the stupidity of their opponents. Egocentric, selfish, stubborn, and often downright childish, the oft infuriating hanyou could send her flying into rage in an instant. And yet, he was also the first in her heart. He had grown so much since that day she'd first met him that it was sometimes hard to recognize him as the same boy she'd freed from the Goshinboku.

"Hurry up, Kagome! I'm hungry!" Inuyasha complained, tugging her arm in an effort to make her move faster. "You promised me Ramen!"

Kagome sighed and picked up her pace. Right now, it seemed that the only thing Inuyasha cared about was stuffing his face with his favorite food. Of course, there was a practical side to hurrying out of the youkai-filled forest and back to the safety of her time, namely that she was quite certain there were absolutely no jewel-seeking demons on the other side of the well.

Not that Inuyasha believed that, mind you. Kagome had a running list of the things that Inuyasha had broken, destroyed or attempted to use Tessaiga on when he came to her time. One of the more recent victims of his attempts to protect her was her walkman, followed shortly by the alarm clock radio. Honestly, sometimes there was simply no educating the poor hanyou about the technologies of her era.

Inuyasha was a simple creature by nature, a being of the forests and earth. He did not belong in the world of skyscrapers and concrete. There was a mystical essence to his very being, one that fit with the rhythms of life in the Sengoku Jidai and the turning of the seasons. And it was this mystical part of him – the youkai blood he'd inherited from his father – that ultimately would never accept or understand the world that humanity had shaped, just as surely as that world would never understand or accept him. In her time, he was a thing of fairy-tales, a myth told to little children and dissected in classrooms as part of lessons.

Kagome sighed as they approached the well. She supposed that she'd known from the beginning, even if she only vaguely understood it at the time, that there was a tremendous gap between the worlds to which they belonged. Still, a part of her belonged in the past with her friends, with the people she had come to regard as family. The young miko worried that eventually she would be forced to choose between them and, no matter what she decided, the decision would leave her miserable.

School would be starting soon and, with no more jewel shards to hunt for, she wouldn't be able to shirk school quite so often. By some miracle, Kagome had managed to scrape by her high school entrance exams. A smile graced her lips as she recalled how Inuyasha had waited impatiently for her to finish and almost immediately whisked her back to the well, insisting that they'd wasted too much time already; he'd promptly been sat and spent the next few days brooding about it, until she finally felt sorry for him and forgave him. After all, the added pressure from the exams hadn't exactly been putting her in the best of moods.

"Ka-_go_-me!" Inuyasha whined, putting extra emphasis on the middle syllable of her name as he waved his hand in front of her face.

The young miko blinked, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks as she started from her thoughts.

"Are you sick or something?" the hanyou asked, searching her face with his brilliant golden eyes. "You look funny."

Kagome resisted the impulsive urge to hit him on the head with her backpack and merely shook her head. "No... I was just thinking."

"Keh! You think too much!" he said with a snort and crossed his arms over his chest. But the way he was sneaking a glance at her suggested that he was now curious as to the nature of her thoughts and was hoping she'd let him know what was going on in her mind. He really had grown up so much since they first met in what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Ano..." she started and immediately felt the color rising in her face. "I was thinking about the past... when we started the search for the shikon no kakera."

Inuyasha gave her an odd look, his eyes suddenly unreadable.

"What would you wish for now, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, looking at the jewel fastened around her neck. "After all that's happened, do you still wish to become a true youkai?"

The hanyou narrowed his eyes at her and scoffed, "Don't be stupid, woman. That stupid cursed rock would probably warp a wish like that completely! I'd be better off wishing for as much Ramen as I could eat."

"You're probably right," she said, smiling. The image of him sitting there contentedly with thousands of packets of instant Ramen in the middle of the village played through her mind. Kaede would probably find it amusing. But, oh, the sheer number of temporal issues generated by such a wish was near painful to contemplate.

"Besides," Inuyasha continued, raising his eyes, "I cannot dishonor my mother's memory by abandoning my human blood."

Kagome stared at him, her heart skipping a beat. "Inuyasha..." _You really have changed._

Silence reigned between them once more, allowing birdsong and the distant sounds of battle to filter into the clearing. The well stood before them, a reminder of what they'd come here to do. Yet, neither of them moved, caught in the silence of thought and comfort of the other's company.

"What would you wish for, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, finally.

"Ano..." she paused, considering the question. "I don't know. I guess I'd wish for some way to keep seeing everyone without sacrificing my family."

The hanyou smiled absently, his eyes drifting to the sky. "That's a good wish, Kagome."

"Inuyasha..." the young miko breathed, color rising in her face again.

He carefully took her hand in his so as not to scratch her. "We should go. Your mother is probably waiting."

Kagome nodded, smiling. _As long as I'm with you, Inuyasha, I don't mind._

Together, they jumped into the well, leaving the past behind.

* * *

Buyo was curled lazily in the window, soaking up the late afternoon sun. Zen-like in semi-slumber, the cat ignored the goings-on of the Higurashi household and was content to not be bothered by their visitor, the one that was both not dog and not human. The scent of instant Ramen wafted in from the kitchen, slowly diminishing under the scent of dish soap. The distant music of a video game caused a single ear to turn towards the sound momentarily. It flicked back, dismissing the familiar noise. 

Kagome reached over and scratched Buyo behind the ears, earning a trill from the fat cat and a jealous glare from Inuyasha. But the young miko merely smiled, knowing that the hanyou was just jealous of the attention she was giving the beloved cat and that he would be fine once more when he had her attention. "I'll go shopping tomorrow," she said, raising her eyes to look at him. "Do you want anything special?"

"You always ask!" the hanyou replied, pretending to be thoroughly put out. "Isn't it obvious? Ramen, in as many flavors as you can get!"

The girl giggled and shook her head slowly. "Come on, we'd better get you back to the well. Sango will probably put Miroku into a coma if you're not there to keep that letch in line."

"Keh! Sango can keep that perverted bouzo in line better than anyone alive," Inuyasha snorted. "You're just worried about the runt."

Kagome gave him a pointed look. "Do you really want Shippou to be left under the moral guidance of Miroku?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened in alarm and the miko rolled hers in response. Honestly, the kitsune youkai may have been young, but he wasn't stupid despite Inuyasha's opinion to the contrary. Shippou had been pretty quick to latch onto the fact that Miroku was a hopeless letch and it was a long shot to even consider that the small kitsune would ever end up emulating the monk.

The hanyou smirked at her, as if to say he knew she was kidding, and let her lead him back outside, towards the well-house. They moved quickly across the grounds of the shrine, speedily slipping into the darkened well-house. Caution was still more than necessary since the sun had yet to set and, the last time they had done this, a tourist had nearly seen them.

Kagome smiled, recalling the amusing scene that her grandfather had made trying to get rid of the tourist. No doubt the poor American now thought they'd been hallucinating.

Inuyasha lingered at the edge of the well for a minute and then looked at her, his face unusually serious. "Kagome... I've got a wish I want to make."

The young miko stared at him, partially in confusion and surprise. A part of her had hoped he wouldn't ever be ready to make a wish, but they had agreed that when he was ready, she would give him the jewel.

"I've thought about it for a long time," he said softly. "...About what I want... and the words to use. But I don't trust the jewel. I know how it warps even the purest of wishes, so I want you to stay here for a while."

Kagome felt an inexplicable knot tightening in her stomach. She wanted to be there when he made his wish. "Why?"

"It's better that you stay here, with your family. I don't know what will happen when I make the wish," Inuyasha paused, his eyes smoldering points in the darkness. "The well could close up, Kagome, and your family needs you."

Her heart sank, but she knew he was right. She knew there was a terrible risk that she might never see her family again, but she didn't want to have to give him or any of her friends in the past up.

The hanyou slid his arms around her, pulling her close. "Silly wench, don't start crying on me." He paused, lifting her chin with a finger so that he could see into her eyes, and added, "No matter what happens when I make that wish, I swear that I will always be with you."

"Inuyasha..." she whispered. Her eyes burned with her unshed tears.

He leaned forward and, mustering his courage, gently kissed her on the forehead.

Kagome went rigid, her eyes widening in surprise.

"I _will_ return tomorrow, at sunset," Inuyasha swore with absolute sincerity. "If I do not return, then the well has sealed."

She clutched him tightly, burying her head against his chest. "Don't say that," she said softly.

"You should get packed," he countered, smiling as he drew back. "I'm not going to wait around very long when I get back!"

The young miko understood: it was his way of saying '_Everything is gonna be ok!' _His confidence was reassuring and she nodded, blushing furiously. "Alright!"

"Keh! Hand over the damn rock already, woman!" Inuyasha sighed, holding out his hand impatiently.

Kagome unfastened the necklace and carefully pressed the Shikon no Tama into his hand, closing his fingers over it with her other hand. "Be careful, Inuyasha. I don't want to go around picking up any more fragments because you did something stupid."

"You're forgetting something, Kagome," he replied, grinning devilishly as he leapt onto the edge of the well. "You're the one who broke it in the first place."

The young miko glared at him a moment and then gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. "Inuyasha," she said, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. "Osuwari."

"Ah, hell!" the hanyou muttered as the kotodama nenju around his neck began to glow. A second later, the spell yanked him backwards, towards the bottom of the well. The familiar glow of the time portal briefly bathed the well-house in light and vanished, leaving no trace of the boy who had been there only seconds before.

Kagome sighed and shook her head. Sometimes, he could be such an idiot. But he was _her_ idiot.

And with that in mind, the young miko smiled brightly and went to go pack for her next trip down the well.

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AN: I have discovered something. I suck at fluff. Go figure. It's either that or Inuyasha trying to be dead serious is just a nightmare to write. Um, kotodama nenju is the rosary around Inuyasha's neck. Youki is demon energy. And I know oden is technically the foodstuff that pops up more often in the manga, but oden typically isn't served in warm weather. You learn new things every day. Reviews are good... 


	3. Two

Umarekawari Hijinks

By TwinEnigma

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**Two**

Inuyasha stared at the small pink jewel resting on the floor before him, absently rolling it back and forth between his hands. There was a time when he had hunted for this little deceptively innocent-looking jewel, eager to become a true youkai worthy of his father's noble bloodline. At one time, he had also desired to be human for Kikyou, the only human to have shown him kindness since his own mother had died. But that was fated never to be, thanks to their personal doubts and the trickery of Naraku. And recently, he pursued the shattered fragments of the Shikon no Tama across the land, forgetting his wishes as he found himself slowly surrounded by those that truly cared for him.

He smiled as he thought of each one of the odd characters that had so ingrained themselves into his life. An orphaned kitsune youkai who had no end to the ways he could be annoying and constantly got him into trouble. One very lecherous monk on a quest for revenge against the one who had cursed his line and a woman willing to bear his child. The taijiya and her companion neko youkai, searching first for revenge and then for a way to save one they loved. Lastly, there was Kagome: the brave, sometimes loudmouthed young miko from the future who happened to like him just as he was and was as different from her past self as day is to night.

_"What would you wish for now, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, looking at the jewel fastened around her neck. "After all that's happened, do you still wish to become a true youkai?"_

Inuyasha moved his hands away from the jewel as he once again considered what he was going to be wishing for. He had been thinking about it since they'd defeated Naraku – what he really wanted and the words to use. Truthfully, he had almost completely forgotten that he wanted to be a full youkai until Kagome had brought it up yesterday. Other things had become so much more important to him, things that he couldn't have imagined being important when their quest for the shikon no kakera began. He had friends now – albeit a very odd assortment of them – and a place where he belonged... all thanks to Kagome.

"Kagome," he whispered. As much as she drove him crazy at times and insisted on doing silly things like 'tests,' he was more than certain that he would always be happy as long as she was with him. But he didn't want to be torn between her time and his. He didn't want to share her with the future. Still, he knew she didn't really belong here, just as he didn't belong in her time. He could never be himself in her time. He'd always have to wear that stupid hat and keep out of sight – a miserable, cowardly existence in his opinion.

There was also the matter that if he destroyed the Shikon no Tama with his wish, he might never be able to see her again. The hanyou sighed and started to bat the jewel back and forth again. He'd been trying to figure out how to phrase his wish without destroying the stupid thing and he hadn't been having much luck. Then, on a patrol of the forest a few days ago, Kohaku gave him an idea.

It was amazingly simple – so simple, he was stunned that he hadn't considered it before: Inuyasha just had to make the wish a little selfish and the jewel would not disappear. It was ironic, considering that he'd spent all this time trying to think of an unselfish wish. However, there still was a risk that something could go wrong and that was why he wanted Kagome to stay in her own time while he made the wish. If anything went wrong, she'd at least be safe with her family.

The scent of healing herbs and old age caught his attention, but it did not alarm him. It was only Kaede, coming to fetch him. He waited quietly for the old miko to enter the hut and continued to bat the small jewel back and forth between his hands.

"Inuyasha, the sun is setting," Kaede stated. There was another meaning to her words, a reminder of his promise to Kagome.

The hanyou nodded, carefully picking up the jewel, and got to his feet. "So... it's time then."

"Are ye sure ye want to do this, child?" the old miko asked, her face creased with concern.

For a moment, Inuyasha once again saw a familiar small girl in the place of the old woman, fresh bandages over her right eye instead of the patch that was currently there. He closed his eyes and the image of a child long since grown vanished. "I'm sure, Kaede-babaa."

The old woman nodded as though she'd expected that, a faint smile on her old face at his preferred name for her. She sighed heavily and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She understood that he knew full well the risk he was taking by wishing on the Shikon no Tama. Now, the aged miko could only stand aside and trust that he followed his heart.

Inuyasha stepped outside and found his friends waiting for him. Miroku, unusually well-behaved and solemn, gave him a curt nod. All was in readiness, then. The hanyou began the walk to the shrine, exactly as they had planned it. The monk would lead the way, while Sango and her brother flanked Inuyasha to the rear. Kaede stood to his right and Kirara at his left, Shippou sitting quietly on her back. They weren't going to take any chances, not when the Shikon no Tama was involved.

Several minutes later, Inuyasha was firmly convinced that the walk to the shrine was the single longest walk he'd ever taken in his entire life. In reality, the distance from the hut hadn't been that great at all, but when one happened to be walking around with a cursed wish-granting jewel that most demons lusted after and several guards that made demon-slaying a veritable breeze, there was a certain amount of pressure involved. The fact that everyone was as serious and silent as possible certainly didn't lend to the overall feeling of security. More than once, the hanyou had found his hand wandering to the hilt of Tessaiga in an attempt to ward off the tension in the atmosphere.

The villagers gathered in front of the steps leading to the main shrine parted to make way for the group. They owed much to the small group of companions, for protecting their village and the various odd jobs they performed. It was only natural that they should repay the honor by turning out to support their defenders. They were curious, too, and wanted to see what the hanyou was going to wish for. After all, this was not an event that happened every day and the opportunity was not to be missed.

Inuyasha, now standing before the shrine, let Miroku take the jewel from him and watched as the monk and the old miko entered the shrine. They would perform their last cleansing rites on the Shikon no Tama and return it to him. While this last ritual was performed, the hanyou quickly went over the wish in his head for the last time. After this, there would be no turning back.

Shortly, Kaede emerged from the shrine with the jewel in her hands. Miroku, meanwhile, took his place next to Sango and her brother. Kohaku was holding Shippou in his arms. "Inuyasha," the old miko began, drawing the hanyou's attention back to her. "The Shikon no Tama is yours. Do with it as ye will."

He nodded slowly and carefully picked up the jewel. Closing his hand tightly over the jewel, he concentrated and said, "I wish..."

* * *

Miroku shielded his eyes as an explosion of bright pink light came from the Shikon no Tama in the hanyou's hand. The monk felt a sudden rush of energy pass through his chest, but it was gone in an instant. Then, the light dimmed slightly and the monk narrowed his eyes, trying to discern what had become of the moody hanyou. He hadn't heard the wish – much to his disappointment – and had no idea what to expect, so what he saw surprised him. 

Inuyasha's silver hair was bleeding into black; his dog ears were already gone from the top of his head, replaced by human ears on the sides of his head, and his claws were receding. It took less than a minute for the transformation to complete, unlike the much slower transformation brought on by the new moon, and there was something a bit _off_ about it, but what it was the monk could not immediately identify.

The Shikon no Tama pulsed brilliantly once and then shot into the air, the alarmed Inuyasha's head jerking up to follow the jewel. It remained suspended mid-air for a moment and, briefly, Miroku wondered if it was going to shatter. The jewel pulsed again and streaked off towards the forest.

"Shit!" Inuyasha cried out, spinning on his heels as he bolted for the shrine steps. "It's headed for the well!"

And then something truly strange happened. Inuyasha leapt, clearing the entire courtyard full of awestruck villagers in a single bound as easily as if he was still a hanyou. As soon as his feet touched earth, he was off and running again, a red and black blur against the ground.

The shock suddenly wore off as it dawned on him just what was going on and Miroku turned, only to find Sango already mounted on Kirara.

"Come on, houshi-sama," she said, holding out her hand.

The monk wasted no more time, grabbing her hand and hastily swinging onto the twin-tailed neko youkai's back. Kirara immediately leapt into the air and sped towards the well. They could still see the glowing jewel, but it was rapidly descending in a long arc. The neko youkai roared and put on an extra burst of speed.

"There!" Miroku shouted, pointing at a small cleared area in the middle of the forest. He could see the well now, as well as what could have only been Inuyasha running out of the forest. "We're not going to get there in time!"

The Shikon no Tama streaked down, leaving a trail of pink light in its wake. Inuyasha was almost there – he was going to make it. The boy leapt, arm extended in an attempt to grab the jewel, but his fingers only brushed it. The glowing jewel plunged into the well and, without hesitation, the black-haired boy followed.

Pink light suddenly exploded from inside the well, violently expelling Inuyasha. He landed in a heap on the ground with a heavy thud, smoke drifting off his singed body and clothes. The black-haired boy didn't get up.

"Oh no," Sango breathed in horror, perfectly echoing the monk's own dread.

The neko youkai landed hastily near the prone form on the ground, her two passengers immediately dismounting and running to the aid of the injured boy. She did not resume her smaller form, anticipating that she might be needed to carry the boy to help. One of her ears twitched; she could still hear a heartbeat coming from the boy, but the smell of singed hair and flesh was disturbing her.

"Is he dead?" the taijiya asked, kneeling opposite the monk. She held a hand over her nose.

The black haired boy stirred, groaning in pain, and opened his eyes. "It'll take more than that to kill me," he mumbled and started to push himself up.

Again, Miroku sensed something very odd about the former-hanyou's aura. He narrowed his eyes in thought, certain that he knew what it was.

"Don't move," Sango said firmly. "You're human now and you'll just end up hurting yourself even worse!"

Inuyasha glared at her and barked, "What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? I'm _not_ human!"

"Yes, you are!" the taijiya shouted, grabbing his ear to demonstrate.

The boy yelped in pain and shoved her arm away, but it seemed to get the point across. He took a moment to inspect his other hand and hair while he rubbed his sore human ear. Finally, he snapped, "Well, I certainly don't feel any different!"

Miroku's eyes widened as he noticed one of the small cuts on Inuyasha's face seal up and disappear. "Of course," he sighed, slapping his forehead as he realized what should have been obvious to him from the start. "Youki... you're still a hanyou. The wish changed your appearance."

"That's not what I wished for!" Inuyasha protested loudly and, fuming, he got to his feet. "It's not even close to what I wished for!"

Sango gave the monk a look of confusion. "Not his wish?"

But Miroku could only stare back with confusion equal to hers. He hadn't the slightest idea what his friend had wished for. Perhaps it had something to do with Kagome... Didn't she mention there were no youkai in her time?

"I'm going to go get Kagome," the hanyou stated, matter-of-factly, and marched to the well.

"Inuyasha, wait!" Miroku shouted, on his feet in an instant. "The well might throw you out again!"

"I don't care," the hanyou ground out and effortlessly leapt over the side of the well.

The taijiya and the monk held their breaths, expecting another explosion of light. When none came, they rushed to the well and peered down. Normally, when Kagome or Inuyasha jumped into the well, they would disappear at the bottom. However, something appeared to be drastically wrong, as Inuyasha was kneeling on the bottom, his fists clenching the dirt in desperation.

"...It's closed," the hanyou said, his voice strained. "This wasn't what I wanted... It wasn't supposed to close."

Sango closed her eyes, took a deep breath to steady herself, and turned away. She understood what that meant...

...Kagome was lost to them.

* * *

The sun was setting in Tokyo, tendrils of clouds stained in brilliant purples and pinks spreading across the sky. A black haired boy and a young girl were sweeping the courtyard of a Shinto shrine. The girl smiled broadly at the older boy, revealing a gap in her teeth, and looked up at the sky to the clouds. She was young, after all, and this was a boring chore to her. He shook his head with patience as she told him the shapes she thought she saw in the sky and continued sweeping. 

"That one is a kappa with a silly staff," the young girl said, pointing at a squat funny-shaped cloud. "And that's a puppy..."

He paused a moment, looking at the clouds. "No... that's Inu no kami-sama. See, there's the moon behind his head."

"Ano... I see it now!" the girl said, beaming. "Sugoi..."

The black haired boy smiled at her wonderment and was about to remind her to keep sweeping when he saw a bright flash of pink light in the distance. "What the hell...?" he murmured, narrowing his eyes.

"What is it, Inu no Nii-chan?" she asked, looking over her shoulder. "Did you see something funny?"

Something wasn't right. His face drained of color, and he clutched his chest as his eyes rolled back into his head and his knees buckled under him.

The little girl screamed.

* * *

Kagome woke with a start and realized she must have dozed off. She sat up on her bed and winced as a sharp pain went through her side. It was near the spot where she had the scar from when the Shikon no Tama was torn from her body, but it did not linger very long at all and she figured it must have been a muscle cramp. Muscle cramps were a part of her life ever since she had begun traveling to the past, though she didn't have them with quite as much frequency as she had when she'd started out. 

It had gotten darker outside and the sky was painted in the rich colors of sunset. She blanched and immediately stood. Sunset! With a cry of alarm, she bolted for the door and headed straight for the well house. Hopefully, Inuyasha wouldn't be mad that she was a few minutes late.

But when she opened the doors, there was no one there.

"I guess you're running behind, too," she sighed and turned to pull the doors shut. That being done, she sat on the stairs leading down the old well and waited. She had placed her bag in the well house earlier, all packed for the next two weeks, and idly fingered the straps while she waited.

The cool, musty air stirred with energy and Kagome immediately got to her feet, knowing that Inuyasha would jump out of the well at any minute. Still, she had a strange feeling deep down that something was wrong and she couldn't explain it.

_"Kagome..."_

"Inuyasha?" she called out. His voice sounded strange, as though it was really far away, and she could feel his presence in the room, but she couldn't see him. The bad feeling intensified greatly.

Slowly, a transparent figure began to appear from the shadows. His hair was long and black, seemingly stirred by an otherworldly wind. There were no claws on his hands, nor were there white dog ears on the top of his head, and his eyes were not golden. Yet, she recognized his face and she could not help bursting into tears.

_"Don't start crying on me,"_ his voice whispered in her ears.

Kagome shook her head, tears now streaming down her face. "No..."

Inuyasha wore a somber expression, his eyes fixed on her. She could see the other side of the well house through him. _"I've finally fulfilled my promise... after all this time."_

"No..." she moaned, sinking to the ground. "This isn't happening..."

A soft smile crossed his lips. _"I don't regret anything, Kagome. You freed me."_ He took a silent step forward and raised his hands to the ethereal kotodama nenju that still encircled his neck. _"You taught me how to live again and, even though it was hard, I lived well, as you would have wanted me to. Because of you, I was able to fulfill my destiny."_

Kagome cried harder, her voice now barely a whisper. "It can't be true..."

_"You must fulfill your destiny in this time, Kagome."_ The ghostly form leaned down, resting his ethereal hand against her cheek.

"I don't want to! Not without you!" she shouted into his face.

_"Remember..."_ He closed his eyes and kissed her on the forehead. _"I am always with you."_

It felt like nothing more than a cold, feather-light touch on her skin. Yesterday, his kiss had been real, warm and tangible. Yesterday, he was a hanyou... and he was alive. An irrational part of her brain argued that his being a spirit was better than him being brought back from bones and dust in a clay shell.

The ghostly Inuyasha drew back then, straightening to his full height as he smiled at her. And, then, he was gone, with only his last words lingering in her mind.

_I am always with you._

Her tears began anew.

* * *

"We've got a rhythm!" the paramedic shouted, looking at the monitor as the ambulance raced towards the hospital. The second paramedic quickly exchanged the paddles for his stethoscope, aiming to confirm the machine while the patient – a boy – took a deep, wheezing breath, gasping for air under the oxygen mask on his face. 

The boy's eyes opened sluggishly, unfocused. His chest was sore and it hurt to breathe too deeply. The last thing he remembered was sweeping the Shrine courtyard and seeing that strange light in the distance.

"Yashakawa-san, can you hear me?" one of the paramedics asked, holding up a penlight.

The boy squeezed his eyes shut at the painfully bright light and slowly opened them. Managing a weak nod, he closed his eyes again and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

The sun had set at last.

* * *

AN: I will explain the wish in a later chapter. This chapter is fairly straightforward, so I won't mince words explaining stuff. I was up literally all night to finish this chapter and I'm dead tired, so if you're having trouble with the Japanese littered throughout the chapter, go and look it up yourselves or ask in a review or email. Sorry, I'm also sick, so I'm not in the best of moods. Reviews encourage me, especially since I'm coming up on finals. 

**Muchas**** Gracias to my external muses:** Shir, Tessenchan, and Jan; **And to the Reviewers!**


	4. Three

Umarekawari Hijinks

By TwinEnigma

* * *

**Three**

A teenaged boy with brown hair walked towards his home, looking troubled. His name is Hojou and he is a descendant of a noble and ancient family, though one wouldn't have guessed it at first glance. For his hair color is like that of a foreigner and he has the eyes of one as well. And it is sometimes whispered over sake that there may have been a youkai or two in the bloodline, that these coloring oddities are remnants of their magical heritage. He believes it is more likely foreign blood, as he is well aware that foreigners often came to this land well before it closed off its borders to trade. His world is not one of the magical, but of simple compassion and generosity, and it is just as well, for he doesn't believe in youkai or magical things.

He is a kind boy with a caring heart and, currently, the bulk of his concern is heaped upon a puzzling girl from school.

Her name is Higurashi Kagome and she has been ill for quite some time now. She was a nice girl, always sweet and polite, and he really liked her. Sadly, her frequent illnesses kept her at home more often than not and had caused her to forfeit dates with him on several occasions. He tried to give her gifts that would soothe her ailments, yet it seemed that for every illness that passed a new one took its place.

The familiar red torii of a small shrine of Inari alerted him to the fact that he was not far from home and, with a sigh, he started to pass it by. A white fox watched him from the top of the steps –

Hojou stopped mid-step, his eyes widening in shock.

...A white fox?

Normally, Hojou was not one to be superstitious, but this was _Tokyo_ and foxes simply didn't live in such densely populated urban areas. Not to mention that the shrine in question was that of Inari, the Shinto Fortune of Foxes and Rice, and that the favored messengers of Inari were white foxes. Suffice to say, this was more than enough to prompt closer investigation.

The white fox was still there when he turned to look, its green eyes boring deep into his own. Then, with a flick of its tail, the fox turned and entered the shrine. He could not shake the feeling that it wanted him to follow and, curiously, he started up the steps.

Inside, the shrine was dark and devoid of any signs of the white fox. The boy shivered as he drew further inside; something _was_ definitely here, he just knew it. It was a strange feeling, as though something was watching him from the darkness, and it deeply unsettled him.

Suddenly, blue flames burst from the floor with a roar. Hojou jumped back in fear, starting for the door. Moving with eerie fluidity, the blue fire rushed around him and blocked the door. The boy backed away again, hastily scanning the room for something to put out the flame.

_"Fear not, boy,"_ a voice commanded from behind him. _"No harm shall come to thee."_

"Who's there?" he asked, turning to look.

A great white fox stood before him, its five tails gently twitching around it like a halo. _"I know thee, boy. Thy ancestor did me a great honor long, long ago by saving a miko who meant very greatly to me."_

Hojou blinked, his fear rapidly being replaced by confusion. "I... I don't understand."

The fox continued to stare at him with its deep green eyes. _"A debt stands from that ancient time. Long have I watched and waited for the proper opportunity to repay it. That time has finally come, for I can see that thy heart is burdened with worry. Yet it is not for thy self, but for another..."_ It paused, closing its great eyes languidly and opening them again. _"... It is for a girl, pure in heart and soul – a miko."_

Realization dawned on the boy. "You mean Higurashi-san, don't you?"

_"That is correct, boy."_ The tails twitched, moving in a rhythmic fashion. _"The miko whom thy ancestor saved was much like this girl, in both heart and power."_

This was too much for Hojou, who was growing more confused by the moment. "What do you want?"

The fox cocked its head to the side. _"It is not what I desire, boy. It is thy desire that concerns me, for I must repay thy ancestor's debt with an action of equal weight and only thou can decide if that debt is to be discharged."_

He watched the tails sway as his mind grew foggy. "Higurashi-san has been sick... with one thing after another," he murmured. It was getting hard to think straight.

_"Shall I cure these ills? It does not seem fair that one as kind as Kagome-sama should suffer,"_ the fox's voice had a hypnotic quality to it that seemed to match the rhythm of its flicking tails.

A small part of his brain reasoned that this couldn't be happening, but it was so hard to focus on that thought. "It's not fair..."

_"Thou desire to help her, dost thou not?"_ the fox asked.

"Yes," he replied, truthfully.

_"Then let me heal her."_

"Okay." His brain didn't feel right and he felt miles away.

The fox seemed to smile. _"One more thing, boy... Wouldst thou let me borrow that body for a while?"_

Hojou was silent a moment, watching the tails sway back and forth.

"Sure," he said, finally, and didn't even blink when the fox transformed into a giant ball of blue flame and leapt at him. He merely slipped into blissful unawareness as the flames washed over him and seeped into his skin.

The fox, now wearing human form, stood and examined the boy's hands, flexing them experimentally. A smile slipped across his borrowed lips. "It's really a miracle your family ever _survived_ the Sengoku Jidai, Hojou."

* * *

There was something strange in the wind these past few days. It tugged at the back of the teenage girl's mind insistently as she jogged down the sidewalk, like a constant nagging feeling that an intangible thing was out of place. The wind had always whispered things to her like this, even when she was small, and it had never let her down. So, when the wind became agitated and tore the pictures of her local shrine from the walls of her room, Nishikaze Ichiko grew worried. 

Shiroi-ken no Jinja was special to her. There was always a pervasive sense of calm about the shrine, soothing even the tempestuous wind into peaceful breeze. It was here that she first danced for the gods, to the beat of the wind singing in the trees on the grounds, and it had been the old priest Yashakawa who had given Ichiko her first Kagura fan, in hopes that she would study the dances. His grandson was only two years younger than her and, though he could be a real brat at times, she treated him like a little brother of sorts. The very idea that something might have happened to either them or the shrine filled her heart with fear.

Relief flooded her being as she turned the corner and the red torii were still there, the komainu standing firm in their stone vigil just beyond the torii. But the wind still whispered to her, anxious and uneasy about something. Ichiko took a steadying breath and hurried on past the guardians. The courtyard was eerily vacant, with not a sign of the old priest or his annoying grandson anywhere. She shivered unconsciously and started towards the haiden – if anywhere, that was where she'd find them.

However, before she could take another step closer, the shoji slid open to reveal the old priest. His face was unusually somber and haggard, causing even the wind to take pause. "Ohayo, 'jou-san," the old man said; his voice sounded almost pained.

Something was wrong, Ichiko knew it. "Ohayo, Yashakawa-san," she paused, looking for the right words to continue, "The wind... it called me here. Is everything all right? Where's that brat grandson of yours?"

The old priest closed his eyes and gave a heavy sigh. "You are wise to listen to the wind, 'jou-san. Things are not well here."

"What's wrong? Did something happen to the brat?" she asked, her chest tightening painfully with anxiety.

He raised his eyes, looking away as the wind touched his white hair. "He's in the hospital," the old man said, finally. "It was all so strange..."

"Is he all right?"

"The doctors don't know what happened, but I was told that he very nearly died in the ambulance. Poor Moriko... He scared the wits out of her." The old priest brought his amber gaze back to her. "I've been praying for his recovery. Please, humor an old man and offer prayers for his grandson."

Ichiko bit back her tears and tried to smile. "I'll do better than that, old man. I'll dance until that stupid kami of yours listens to me!"

"Stubborn girl," he sighed, smiling absently. "When will you realize that Inu no kami-sama _only_ listens to you?"

She blinked in confusion, involuntarily taking a step back as the wind went deathly still. "Sumimasen," the teenager managed, "I've got to go."

The old priest gave her a curious look. "Are you all right?"

_Leave,_ the wind whispered in growing agitation. _Run..._

"I'm OK," Ichiko replied, giving him a false smile, "Later!"

His amber eyes appeared to glow and she could have sworn something in his hair twitched. "Take care of yourself, 'jou-san," he said, finally.

She nodded and started to jog back towards the torii with the wind pressing at her back, urging her to pick up the pace. A part of her insisted that the wind was acting irrationally and that there was absolutely no reason for her to leave so rudely, but another side of her argued that the wind never lied – at least, it had never lied to her before. Still, something about what old Yashakawa said unsettled her.

Ichiko paused at the torii and cast a look back at the haiden. The old man was gone, having disappeared back inside. It was eerie, seeing the empty courtyard, and the komainu seemed to watch her warily.

_It's here,_ the wind cried, tugging her towards the street. _Youki... YOUKI!_

A sharp pain tore through her chest and, instantly, her left arm went numb. The wind wailed, repeating its cry as she fell to her knees. It felt as though her breastbone had been snapped in two and she could hardly breathe through the pain. Blackness crept along the edges of her vision, sending her mind soaring with a bizarre euphoria even as she slumped forward. Her fingers twitched as she reached toward the haiden, but her lungs could not draw the air to fuel her cry for help.

She was dying.

It was a rather abrupt realization, one that spun dizzily on the growing darkness in her vision, and – quite oddly – the idea made her smile. It was already hurting less. A blurry white figure appeared before her, holding a glowing white sword in its hand; she wondered if it was an angel, come to take her away. Smiling again, she let herself fall into blackness as the sword descended.

The return to awareness was explosive, violently launching her back into the realm of the living. Ichiko coughed, greedily sucking air back into her oxygen-starved lungs. Her heart throbbed with dull pain and, dimly, she wondered how she was still alive. She was certain that she had died, yet... something had called her back.

It was then that she noticed she was staring at someone's shoes. Alarmed, Ichiko practically sprang off the ground in an attempt to see the owner of those shoes. But as she looked into his face, the world seemed to stop and she was swallowed by his burning golden eyes.

He was handsome, ethereally so, with his long silvery hair, pointed ears, and elegant features. Twin reddish-purple markings adorned his cheeks and a blue crescent moon adorned his forehead. He was dressed in ancient armor and clothing, a white pelt draped over his right shoulder and two swords bound at his left side. It made him look so regal and, strangely, familiar. Yet, it was the way he looked at her that transfixed her – that sad, silent expression he wore, as though he'd known she had brushed close to death mere moments ago.

Ichiko, blushing brightly, bowed her head a moment and then curiously looked again.

He was gone.

* * *

Kagome sat in her room, clutching her pillow to her chest. Shortly after Inuyasha's spirit had vanished, she had jumped down the well, trying desperately to return to the Sengoku Jidai. When it didn't open, she climbed out and tried again. It was futile – the well was closed and would not open again. She still had dirt under her fingernails from when she had clawed at the bottom of the well, frantically trying to dig until she reached the past. Several Band-aids covered the scratches on her hands and the few nails that she'd broken in the process. 

She was numb from spending the night crying on her mother's shoulder and her abused hands throbbed painfully. Inside, her heart had crumbled and in its place there was only a looming, draining ache. She had lost her closest friends and the boy she loved to the inevitable progression of time. It was strange, realizing that all those she had come to hold so dear had been dust for centuries. All this time, she had been traveling with ghosts in an era long gone. She wondered if any of them realized they were all going to die in the end. Or had they forgotten in the aftermath of defeating Naraku? Had they even realized their mortality when she spoke of her time?

"Kagome," her mother said softly, opening the door to her room. "There's someone here to see you."

The young miko shook her head and drew her body further into a ball. "I don't want to see anyone, mama."

"I know, dear, but you might want to talk to him," her mother sighed, entering the room. She was holding something in her hands. "Here... He wanted me to give you this."

Kagome raised her head, too exhausted to do much else, and watched as her mother opened her hands. A shrill wail split the air, coming from the newly revealed weeping mushroom.

Its effect was nothing short of miraculous.

Quick as lightning, Kagome was on her feet, eyes wide with surprise. It was as though she had been shocked back to life. "Mama, where is he!"

"He's waiting by the Goshinboku, dear," her mother supplied. "But..."

The young miko was already running out of her room and launching down the stairs like a woman possessed, the caveat having gone completely unheard. There was only one thought in her mind, a single thought that uplifted her heart and soul: _Shippou is alive!_ He wasn't a ghost! He was a living and breathing being of flesh and blood and, most importantly, he shared her memories of their friends. He would understand!

Her feet had hardly touched the ground floor and she was running for the door. Throwing it open, Kagome's greeting died on her lips as she saw the figure standing at the base of the tree.

"HOJOU-KUN!"

The boy crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, "Kagome no baka! You can't tell the difference between me and that human? Are you a miko or not?"

"Eeto..." she managed to squeak out. Hojou-kun didn't talk like that, nor was he aware that she was a true miko. Yet, now that he'd mentioned it, she could feel the faint presence of youki. "Shippou-chan?"

He glared at her and snorted. "Took you long enough, temee."

Kagome's eye twitched. Obviously, Inuyasha had rubbed off on him – and, to think, they had joked that Miroku would be a bad influence! Kagome blinked, shook her head, and marched out to him, once again armed with her famous temper. "Chotto matte! What the hell are you doing going around like that! And where do you get off swearing like that?"

"I'm not a little kid anymore," Shippou said, coolly. "As for the body, the stupid sap willingly agreed to part with it for a little while."

"You _possessed_ Hojou-kun!" she shrieked.

He shrugged and smirked wickedly. "Would you have preferred me to come waltzing in here in my true form? I'd probably have given the old man a coronary!"

She didn't have an answer for that.

"Besides, I've changed a lot in five hundred years," Shippou continued, closing his borrowed eyes. "I doubt you'd even recognize me as I am now."

Kagome grabbed his shoulders and drew him into a hug. "Baka! If you hadn't been hiding your youki in this body, I'd have recognized you right away!"

"No," the kitsune countered, pushing her away. "You wouldn't. You don't even know what I am anymore!"

Bewildered by his behavior, she stubbornly glared at him. "Of course I know what you are, Shippou! I haven't forgotten!"

"You remember a nogitsune child," Shippou stated bluntly. "I'm a myobu now."

Myobu were the pure white foxes who served as the messengers of Inari, benevolent guardians who aided those who desired help and taught the wicked humility. Shippou, when she had seen him last, was a wild red fox. She had doted on the orphaned kitsune child, despite Inuyasha's insistence that she was spoiling him. But to imagine him growing up under the hanyou's gruff influence to become something of the heavenly realms was simply mind-boggling to the young miko.

"I've been serving Inari for centuries now," he continued. "After everyone was gone, I was so lonely and it hurt being around their descendants... You have no idea what it was like, Kagome, no idea. I wandered from place to place, trying to be an honorable and just youkai. I even posed as a houshi a few times – you see, there were these samurai who..." he started to explain and then shook his head.

"Oh, forget about it. It's a long story," Shippou grumbled. "Anyway, when Inari offered me a chance to become one of the myobu, I was glad. It was nice to be needed again and it's honorable enough work. Sometimes, I like to think that Inuyasha, Sango and everyone are proud of what I do."

Kagome stared at her shoes for a moment and then smiled beatifically. "I know they're proud, Shippou. _I'm_ proud of you – even if you _did_ possess one of my classmates."

The kitsune gave a soft snort and rolled his eyes, but she could tell he had probably needed to hear that. After a moment's silence, he piped up, "It was Inuyasha's idea, you know. He figured that if the Hojou had living descendants in your era, they'd be able to lead me right to you. And whaddya know – he was right."

There was a pregnant pause, reflecting the barest flicker of the centuries between the girl and the child she used to know.

"Shippou," Kagome said quietly. "Tell me what happened after the well closed."

He looked away, turning to stare pointedly at the Goshinboku. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Please, Shippou. I have to know."

The kitsune closed his eyes in resignation and sighed, "Miroku and Sango got married a few months after you left – in front of the Goshinboku, if I remember correctly. They had quite a few kids, though I could never keep their names straight and it only got worse when the grandkids were born. I didn't stick around for very long after they died, though."

In her mind, Kagome could see both Miroku and Sango standing before the tree, with their fingers intertwined. The image was a comforting one and made her smile.

"Kohaku left town after a while and settled in a village on the other side of the forest," Shippou continued. He pointed off into the distance at the Tokyo skyline. "Over there, I think... It's hard to tell now. The river that used to be there dried out long before Tokyo was built, but I'm pretty sure the village shrine is still there. Anyway, I heard he fell in love with the beautiful daughter of a youkai and spent three years convincing her father that he was worthy of her."

The young miko absently wondered if she knew the youkai or his daughter.

"I haven't seen Kouga or his pack in years," the kitsune said, shrugging. "And Kaede passed away several years after you left. Sesshoumaru stopped by a couple of times with Rin, but I don't really know what happened to either of them."

"Tell me about Inuyasha," Kagome piped up. "What did he wish for?"

Shippou's borrowed face faltered a bit. "I don't know. No one wanted to tell me."

"You had to have heard something," she insisted, knowing very well that he had a tendency to overhear things he wasn't supposed to.

The kitsune shook his head. "You're better off asking Sesshoumaru. He's the only one left who would know."

"I thought you said that you didn't know what happened to Sesshoumaru?" Kagome pointed out. Shippou was probably hiding something.

He sighed, flinging up his arms in exasperation. "Temee! All I know is that he isn't dead! That's it!"

"And what about Inuyasha?" she pressed, growing rapidly annoyed.

"He's dead," the kitsune ground out.

"How?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes!"

Shippou raised his eyes to the sky. "It was peaceful, if that's what you wanted to know."

"No, damn it! _How did he die?_" Kagome shouted, tears gathering in her eyes.

The kitsune closed his eyes. "He died of old age, Kagome. Whatever he wished for, it botched things up real good."

"I... I don't believe you!" She shook her head, finding it impossible to imagine Inuyasha as an old man. He was a hanyou and, as such, he was blessed with a youkai's long lifespan.

"Believe what you want," Shippou said, shrugging as he started to walk away. "I told you the truth."

* * *

AN: Wow... Hojou is useful after all! Kitsune can hypnotize people by the swaying of their tails and are fully capable of possessing someone. Since Shippou has become myobu, he asks for permission before possessing Hojou and hypnotizes him to calm him down. Nishikaze Ichiko is not a reincarnate. She is, however, a Kagura dancer. And when I say Kagura in the second section, it is referring solely to the dances. When Shippou says he posed as a houshi, this is a nod to two of the more famous kitsune of legend who were noted for posing as houshi. I have a very **bad** cold and I'm not going to answer any questions about what the wish was. What happens in the past, as well as the nature of the wish, will be revealed in due time and NOT BEFORE. Ano, Reviews are good and make me feel better! 

For your edification:  
komainu: mythical lionlike dogs, often seen in a pair in shrines.  
Shiroi-ken: written as 'White dog' in kanji  
haiden: main building of a Shinto shrine  
eeto: Umm...  
temee: extremely rude form of 'you', often translated as bitch or wench; Inuyasha uses 'temee' a lot. (As an aside, the words for female dog are 'mesuinu' and 'meinu' and Inuyasha uses neither of them.)  
nogitsune: wild fox or field fox


End file.
